Exploring Patterns of Skill Gain and Loss on Long-term Training and Non-training in Rhythm Game

The objective of this study is to categorize patterns of skill loss following skill gain, in order to develop a predictive model for skill retention in music games. The experiment was conducted using songs from the web-based music game ″Sparebeat.'' Participants were instructed to train daily on a piece of music slightly more challenging than their current skill level until they achieved a specified level of proficiency. Following this, participants took a break from training for at least one week, and their scores were recorded when they played the music immediately after the non-training phase. By analyzing the changes in scores during both the skill gain and loss phases, we identified three distinct patterns of skill loss.